Tension apparatus for cable-railways



(No Model.) 4 4 H. ROOT. TENSION APPARATUS FOR GABLB RAILWAYS. No. 244,147. Patented July 12,1881.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY ROOT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

TENSION APPARATUSFOR CABLE-RAlLWA-YS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,147, dated July 12, 1881.

Application filed May 6, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY R001, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improved Tension Apparatus for Gable-Railways; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and working of cable-railways; and it consists in an improved means for taking up the slack of the cable as it gradually elon gates by use.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, the figure is a perspective view of my apparatus.

In the construction of railways in which cars are propelled upon a track by means of an endless cable moving in a tube or tunnel beneath the surface of the ground and connected with the cars by means of gripes upon the latter means must be provided to take up or compensate for the elongation of the cable which takes place with use, and when the cables are of considerable length this elongation is so considerable that when ordinary means are employed they are insufficient for the work and the cable must be cut and a portion taken out or it must be passed one or more times around a drum to take it up.

The usual method for keeping a tension upon the cable is to pass it around large pulleys at one or both ends, and these pulleys are mounted upon trucks. A chain passes from the rear end of the truck over a stationary pulley, and is attached to aheavy weight within a pit, and this produces the required tension. The cable soon stretches, however, so that the greatest depth of pit which can be conveniently used within a roadway is insufficient for the sinking of the weight, and the cable must be taken up either by removing a portion or by taking one or more turns around the drum or pulley. This process must soon be repeated, and causes considerable delay and inconvenience.

My invention is designed to provide a perpetual compensator and tension apparatus, which may be adjusted without stoppage or delay.

It consists of a wheel,A, grooved to receive a cable, B, which passes around it, as shown. The wheel A has its shaft journaled in boxes upon the frame-work of a car, 0, which is provided with wheels D. These wheels are flanged and run upon rails or timbers E, which are preferably set in line with the cable. A heavy chain or rope, F, is secured to the rear end of the car, and passes backward over a pulley, G, and thence down to a weight, H, sufficiently heavy to keep the necessary tension on the cable.

The rails or timbers E are united to a framework, I, which rests upon long timbers J, also set parallel with the line of the cable.

Upon the upper surface of the timbers J are formed or secured strong racks K, and the rear ends of the timbers I have powerful hookpawls L attached to them. These, pawls engage with the teeth of the racks and thus hold the timbers at any point where they may be placed.

In order to draw the timbers J back, when necessary, a powerful double block, M, with suitable ropes, P, connects the rear of the timbers I with the solid masonry N at the rear of the tunnel. A gipsy, 0, is keyed to the shaft of the cable-wheel A, and the end of the rope P is carried from the block to the gipsy, around which it may be passed with a few turns, hanging loosely, so that the gipsy turns freely within it ordinarily.

The operation will then be as follows: When the cable is first put to work the weight H will be drawn up close to the frame-work; but as the cable stretches,the weight, keeping up the tension, gradually descends until it is at the bottom of the pit. It is then necessary to draw it up again. This I do by drawing upon the free end of the rope P until it binds upon the gipsy sufliciently for the latter to wind it, and thus act upon the blocks and draw the frame I backward until the weight H is close up to the pulley G in the frame. The hook-pawls L engage with the teeth of the rack, and thus hold the frame I in place. The tension is thus kept up, and the elongation of the cable is compensated without cutting it or having turns about a drum, and when the weight H has descended to the bottom of the pit it is at once raised again by the block and tackle, without stopping or disturbing the cable.

The frame J and racks may be made of any desirable length, fromsixty to one hundred and fifty feet, depending upon the length of cable which is running. The adjustment is thus made ample for any stretching of the cable. In the present case I have shown a vertical wheel, such as maybe used in the en gine-house behind the drums, and Where all the take-up may be made on level roads. At the ends of the roads the apparatus will be connected with the horizontal sheaves around which the cable passes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A tension and compensating apparatus for railway-cables, consisting of the cable-pulley A, having its axis journaled upon the movable car 0, and the chains F and weight H,in combination with the rails or timbers E upon which the car travels, mounted upon aframe, I, which moves upon a secondary track, J, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

2. The car 0, moving upon the rails E and supporting the cable-pulley A, the weight H, and chain F, and the rails E, moving upon a secondary tramway, J, in combination with the operating tackle and the holding-racks and pawls, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY ROOT.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE,

FRANK A. BROOKS. 

